Copeland Spirits, the Northern Irish based gin maker, has reportedly signed a new 125-year lease on a site in Donaghadee for its new distillery and visitor centre.
The Co Down distiller is believed to be investing approximately €750,000 into the site as it attempts to expand its business and begin making whiskey.
Copeland will move from its current site in Saintfield, Co Down, to the harbour town some 30km away, where it will renovate an old community hall and picture house to build its distillery.
Hard Work
The company was established in 2016 by Gareth Irvine, who successfully raised £30,000 through online crowdfunding in the Summer securing funds from over 390 founders. It currently stocks its gin with Aldi Ireland.
Speaking with the Irish Independent Irvine said: "We’ve worked incredibly hard over the last two years to make this a reality and now that planning has been approved and construction is well underway.
“It’s both rewarding and motivating to see the site being restored to its former glory as the hub of Donaghadee.”
Irvine said that the whiskey category is a welcoming one for a new player, and added that the new distillery will add to the market.
"Our flavoured range of 37.8% gins are already a huge success across Northern Ireland, wider UK, Ireland and Europe so we feel it’s the right time to bring something new to the market,” he added
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
